Leakproof dispensing container



Jan; 7, 1969 Vc. o. KUFFER 3,420,415-

LEAKPROOF DISPENSING CONTAINER l v Filed June 9, 1967 FIG i :1i-1T;- '24/ 21 L .T- f -f .SZ/K, j?

y attorneys Jan- 7, 1 969 c. o, KUFFER LEAKPROOF DISPENSING `CONTAINER l Filed .me 9, 1967 Sheet United States Patent O 8 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE The disclosure illustrates and describes a dispensing container comprising separate receptacles for holding a pressurized propellant and a lowable material to be dispensed, which container has a valve assembly for controlling the flow of the propellant, and a spray tip mounted on the valve stem of the valve assembly for discharge of the propellant and the ilowable material through a common discharge outlet. The valve has two longitudinal bores and the spray tip has a lip or web that covers the end of the owable material bore to prevent leakage and evaporation of the owable material when the container is not in use. The spray tip is movable on the valve stem to move the lip to condition the valve assembly for dispensing.

RELATED APPLICATION Copending application entitled Dispensing Container, tiled concurrently herewith on I une 9, 1967 as application Ser. No. 644,848.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to dispensing containers having separate receptacles for containing a pressurized propellant and a ilowable material, in which the propellant aspirates the ilowable material for discharge, and to means for preventing leakage and evaporation of the flowable material from its receptacle when the dispensing container is not in use.

Valve assemblies used in aerosol and pressurized propellant devices normally prevent leakage of the contents from the associated container. However where the propellant and the owable material to be dispensed are maintained in separate receptacles, as shown for example in U.S. Patent 2,888,208, the flowable material line is open to the atmosphere and consequently the flowable material may evaporate, may be adverse-ly alected by the atmosphere or may leak if the container is inverted. It is to eliminating those problems in such devices that this invention is directed.

In accordance with the present invention a spray tip is provided which has a displaceable internal means for sealing the passage for the discharge of owable material when the dispensing container is not in use. When the user wishes to utilize the dispensing container, the internal sealing means is displaced and the flowable material passage opened to condition the dispensing container for use. The spray tip is secured to the valve assembly of the dispensing container, the valve assembly dening flow passageu for the pressurized propellant and for the ilowable material.

Further purposes and advantages of this invention will appt ar from the following description and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view, partially in section, of a dispensing container embodying the invention;

PIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary Vertical sectional View of the mounting cup and valve assembly of FIG. 1 secured to the upper portion of the dispensing container;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 with the valve in its open dispensing position;

Patented Jan. 7, 1969 FIG. 4 is a View taken substantially along line 4 4 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along line 5 5 of FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the drawings, an outer receptacle 11 comprises a cylindrical wall 12 and a bottom wall 13 secured thereto in any suitable manner. The upper edge portion of the wall 12 slopes inwardly and upwardly, as indicated at 14, to define an open top. A vent valve 15 is mounted in an opening in sloping portion 14 above the level of the lowable material. As the flowable material is dispensed from the outer receptacle the decrease in the pressure above the owable material allows the atmospheric pressure to open vent valve 15 and keep it open until the pressure in the outer receptacle is restored to a level at which the flowable material will continue to be aspirated in the manner to be described.

An inner receptacle 16 is sealingly seated within the open top of the outer receptacle. Inner receptacle 16 comprises a cylindrical wall 17, a bottom wall 18 and a beaded upper edge 19 sealingly crimped to the peripheral edge of a mounting cup 21. A conventional sealing gasketing layer is interposed between the mounting cup and edge 19. Inner receptacle 16 is sealingly seated within the open top of outer receptacle 11, as by snapping the inner receptacle crimp into an outer receptacle bead 20, as, for example, shown in a copending application entitled Dispensing Container tiled concurrently herewith. Other means for constructing and sealingly interengaging inner and outer receptacles are also shown in said copending application. Other vent valve means are there shown and the disclosures in those respects are herein incorporated by reference.

The central portion of the mounting cup 21 is embossed upwardly to provide a substantially cylindrical wall 22 and a at top section 23. A valve assembly 24, mounted in the mounting cup 21, comprises a valve body portion 25 having a depending nipple portion 26, and a valve stem 27 projecting upwardly from the top of the body portion. Flat top section 23 defines an opening 28 through which stem 27 projects. A sealing gasket 29 positioned between the upper surface of the valve body and the underside of the top section 23 defines an opening 31 snugly and sealingly embracing the valve stem.

Valve assembly 24 is supported by a tubular shell 32. The upper edge portion 33 of tubular shell 32 has a peripheral shoulder 34 that is engaged by an annular crimping bead 35 extending inwardly of wall 22 and which holds the tubular shell and the sealing gasket in place and in sealing engagement at their peripheral line of contact. The 'bottom of the tubular shell comprises an annular seat 36 for supporting the bottom end of a compression spring 37. The upper end of the spring is biased against the body portion 25 of the valve assembly to sealingly urge the upper surface of body portion 25 against the underside of the sealing gasket.

The valve assembly 24 denes a longitudinal bore 38 extending continuously throughout the length of the valve assembly to form part of a ilow passageway lfor the ilowable material held in the outer receptacle. The remainder of the ow passageway comprises a conduit 39 having its upper end secured to the nipple portion 26 of the valve body to seal the lower end of the axial Vbore 38 from the interior of the inner receptacle. Seat 36 is spaced from the exterior surface of conduit 39 to provide free flow of the propellant between the inner receptacle and the interior of the tubular shell. The gasket 29, which is in sealing engagement with valve stem 27 and valve body 25, prevents the propellant from flowing beyond the upper edge of the tubular shell when the valve is in closed position.

Conduit 39 passes through an opening 41 in the bottom wall 18 of the inner receptacle and terminates near the bottom wall 13 of the outer receptacle. The lower end of the conduit is notched, as indicated at 42, to insure fiow of the material to be dispensed from the outer receptacle into the conduit. A fitting 43 seated in the opening 41 around the conduit provides a seal between the conduit and the edge of the bottom wall 18 defining the opening 41 to prevent the flowable material to be dispensed from flowing into the inner receptacle and to prevent the propellant from fiowing into the outer receptacle.

Valve stem 27 has a second longitudinal bore 44 extending downwardly from its upper end and terminating above valve body 2S. A `transverse orifice 4S extends from the outer surface of the valve stern into fiow communication with bore 44. Orice 45 is so located that when the valve is held in its closed position, the orifice is sealed by the edge of the gasket 29 defining the opening 31. When the valve is pressed downwardly yagainst the action of the spring 37, orice 45 is moved below the lower plane of the gasket 29, and establishes low communication between the interior of the tubular shell 32 (and the inner receptacle) and bore 44.

A spray tip 46 has a single discharge outlet 47 opening through one side and communicating at its inner end with a tubular lower portion 48 that is rotatably mounted on the top of the valve stem 27. The tubular lower portion provides direct fiow communication between both of the bores 38 and 44 and discharge `outlet 47. The valve stem 27 is moved downwardly against the action of the spring 37 by finger pressure against the top of the spray tip. When the spray tip is depressed and moves the orifice 45 into iiow communication with the interior of the tubular shell 32, the pressure of the propellant forces the propellant outwardly through the outlet 47. As the propellant fiows across the effective top of the `bore 38, it aspirates the fiowable material and pulls it through the discharge outlet at the salme time.

Spray tip 46, as stated, is rotatably mounted on stern 27. Internally it defines an internal lip or web 49 which is adapted to seal bore 38 from the atmosphere in one position of the tip, and to open bore 38 to the atmosphere for aspiration therethrough in another lposition of the tip. Also, where desired, bore 44 (the propellant bore) may be closed to the atmosphere when bore 38 is closed. To that end, in the position of tip 46 shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, web 49 covers the -upper ends of bores 38 and 44. However, as best seen in FIGS. 3 and 5, web 49 defines two apertures, 51 and 52, which are adapted to overlie the ends of bores 38 and 44 for dispensing. Apertures 51 and 52 are positioned over bores 38 and 44 by rotating tip 46 on stem 27 from the position shown in FIGS. 2 `and 4 to that shown in FIGS. 3 and 5.

When the dispensing container is not in use, the spray tip is positioned with the web 49 covering the top of the bore 38 to prevent leakage of the owable material when the container is tilted or upset and to prevent evaporation of the owable material. When the dispensing container is to be used, it is conditioned for use by rotating the spray tip until apertures 51 and 52 are in registry with the bores 38 and 44. Then the tip is depressed to open the valve at which time propellant fiows across the open upper end of bore 38 to aspirate tiowable material from the outer receptacle and to discharge the intermixture through discharge opening 47.

To insure firm sealing of the web 49 against the top ot the stem, stem 27 and tip 46 defines cooperable interlocking I.means comprising a groove and bead. As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3 stem 27 defines an annular bead 54 and tip 46 defines an annular bead receiving recess 5S. In that manner tip 46 and stem 27 are interlocked against axial movement and maintain web 49 in close sealing engagement with the top of stem 27 in the closed position 4- of the tip. Recess 55 and bead 54 may be less than 360 each to limit rotational movement of the tip on the stern to, for example, so that the tip may be rotatably moved only to an on position and an off position, for simplicity of use.

Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described in considerable detail, it will be understood that the description thereof is intended to be illustrative, rather than restrictive, as many details ofi structure may be modified or changed without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a dispensing device having a first receptacle adapted to contain a propellant and a second associated receptacle adapted to contain a fiowable material to be aspirated by said propellant, a valve assembly defining a passageway for said fiowable material and a separate passageway for said propellant, said passageway for said fiowable material opening into said second receptacle at one end, being open to the atmosphere at the other end, and being open clear through therebetween, said fiowable material passageway terminating in a valve assembly stem portion, a spray tip seated on said stem portion and rotatable about the axis of said stem -portion and dening a portion for sealingly closing said fiowable material passageway in one position of rotation of said spray tip and for opening said flowable material passageway in another position of rotation of said spray tip to condition said dispensing device for dispensing said iiowable material.

2. In the dispensing device of claim 1 in which said spray tip defines an internal web for sealingly closing said fiowable material passageway.

3. In a dispensing device having a first receptacle adapted to contain a propellant and a second associated receptacle adapted to contain a fiowable material to be aspirated by said propellant, a valve assembly defining a passageway for said fiowable material and a separate passageway for said propellant, said passageway for said fiowable material opening into said second receptacle at one end, being open to the atmosphere at the other end, and being open clear through therebetween, said iiowable material passageway terminating in a valve assembly stem portion, a spray tip movably seated on said stem and deining a portion for sealingly closing said flowable material passageway in one position of said spray tip and for opening said owable material passageway in another position of said movably seated spray tip to condition said dispensing device for dispensing said owable material, said spray tip defining an internal web for sealingly closing said iiowable material passageway, said internal web detining an aperture rotatably movable into registry with said fiowable material passageway for opening said fiowable material passageway.

4. In the dispensing device of claim 3, means for interlocking said spray tip and said stem to prevent axial movement of said tip with respect to said stem.

5. A dispensing container comprising receptacles for separately containing a tlowable material and a pressurized propellant, separate fiow passageways for said flowable material and for said propellant, a spray tip rotatably seated yon a stem, said tip having a common discharge outlet for both of said ow passageways, said iiow passageways having outlet ends in flow communication with said common discharge outlet and closely adjacent each other and said common discharge outlet, whereby ow of said propellant aspirates said f'lowable material through said common discharge outlet, a releasable seal intermediate the iiow passageway of said propellant for controlling the the fiow of said propellant, and means in said tip and corotatable therewith and movable into engagement with said outlet end of said other fiow passageway to prevent leakage of said fiowable material in one position of rotation of said tip and rotatable into a second position to permit fiow through said other fiow passageway.

6. A dispensing container comprising receptacles for separately containing a owable material and a pressur ized propellant, separate How passageways for said flowable material and for said propellant, a spray tip having a common discharge outlet for both of said flow passageways, said low passageways having outlet ends in flow communication with said common discharge outlet and closely adjacent each other and said common discharge outlet, whereby ow of Said propellant aspirates said owable material through said common discharge outlet, a releasable seal intermediate the flow passageway of said propellant for controlling the flow lof said propellant, and means movable into engagement with said outlet end of said other flow passageway to prevent leakage of said owable material, said spray tip having a tubular portion tting around both of said outlet ends, and said means comprising a web extending across the tubular portion of said spray tip adjacent said common discharge outlet to seal the outlet end of said flowable material passageway in one position of movement of said means.

7. A dispensing container comprising receptacles for separately containing a flowable material and a pressurized propellant, separate flow passageways for said flowable material and for said propellant, a spray tip having a common discharge outlet for both of said ow passageways, said ow passageways having outlet ends in flow communication with said common discharge outlet and closely adjacent each other and said common discharge outlet, whereby ow of said propellant aspirates said owable material through said common discharge outlet, a releasable seal intermediate the flow passageway of said propellant for controlling the ow of said propellant, and means movable into engagement with said outlet end of said other ilow passageway to prevent leakage of said owable material, a valve stem provided with two separate longitudinal bores dening said outlet ends of said ow passageways, said spray tip being rotatably mounted on the end on said valve stem adjacent said outlet ends, and said movable means comprising a web integral with said spray tip sealingly engaging said owable material passageway outlet in one position of said spray tip.

8. A dispensing container as recited in claim 7, in which said web is rotatable with said spray tip between a position in which it covers the outlet end of said tlow passageway for said owable material and a position in which it uncovers the owable material passageway outlet end to condition said dispensing container for dispensing.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,326,469 6/1967 Abplanalp et al. 239-308 SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primary Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 

